For the second time, a law that would make it illegal to sell cigarettes to 18-year-olds in Onondaga County has been snuffed out by a county executive's veto.

County Executive Joanie Mahoney vetoed Onondaga Tobacco 19, saying she believed the law would be ineffective. But she promised to work with its sponsors to come up with legislation she believes would be more workable.

The sponsors, legislators Robert Warner, R-Van Buren, and Lovie Winslow, D-Syracuse, had promoted the law as a way to keep 18-year-old high school students from buying smokes and passing them along to younger students. Merchants caught selling cigarettes and other tobacco products would have been subject to fines. The law exempted 18-year-olds in the military.

Anti-smoking advocates endorsed it, saying it would provide another weapon to keep kids from developing a dangerous, lifelong habit.

Critics argued it would take away rights from people otherwise considered adults. The majority of teens get cigarettes from older adults or from unregulated sources such as Native American smoke shops and Internet sellers, they contended.

The Legislature passed the law Sept. 2 by a 10-8 vote, three votes fewer than needed to override a veto.

The lawmakers passed similar legislation in December 2006, only to see then-County Executive Nicholas Pirro veto it. Among Pirro's objections was that it didn't exempt service members.

We'll have more on this story as it develops. See Saturday's Post-Standard for a full account.